


always & forever

by aethe



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラX 月下の夜想曲 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Angst, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Emotional Hurt, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Human/Vampire Relationship, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Post-Canon, Reader is old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:21:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27998937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aethe/pseuds/aethe
Summary: His eyes wandered to the rocking chair that stood at the top of the stairs. There she was, his heart. Her eyes were closed and he would’ve been worried if not for the steady sound of her heartbeat.
Relationships: Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Reader
Kudos: 16





	1. always

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on here. I hope you all like it!
> 
> ||Cross-posted on Tumblr||

She sat in front of the castle with a book on her lap. It was quite windy that day; her hair, gray with age, fluttered around her head. A quiet snore tore through the silence as the book fell to the ground.

Adrian walked out of the nearby forest. He was carrying a basket full of food. The same basket he’d picked up countless times already. It was old and withered, torn in some places, but still good. Still holding all he’d collected in one place. He looked up, towards the castle. Its walls were starting to crack under the pressure of wild ivy that found its home on them. Some windows were shattered, some dirty. But the castle still stood, still provided a save place for him and his heart.

His eyes wandered to the rocking chair that stood at the top of the stairs. There she was, his heart. Her eyes were closed and he would’ve been worried if not for the steady sound of her heartbeat. She had changed over time – the story of her life told through the wrinkles on her skin, the scars on her hands. But her eyes still held the same spark he fell in love with so many years ago. Her smile still made his chest warm, still gave him a reason to simply live, instead of dreamlessly sleeping in his coffin. She was still his love, his heart, his mind, his home.

Adrian walked up to her chair soundlessly and smiled. He reached for her hand and squeezed gently.

“It’s time to wake up, dear. Dinner will be ready soon.”

She stirred in her chair and hummed.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Not long. You must’ve fallen asleep after I went to the forest.”

She shook her head.

“I really must be old, sleeping in a chair like that.” She reached for her book and stood up with a huff. “Do you need any help with that dinner?”

Adrian nodded and took her hand with a small smile.

“If you’re willing to help? Always.”


	2. forever

Before Alucard had the chance to properly start making dinner, he heard a crash. He turned around quickly and felt his heart stop for a moment. You were laying on the floor, holding onto your chest. He rushed to you faster than he thought he could move, stretching his arm out to touch you, help you up, but he didn’t know what he should do first.

“What is it? What happened?” he asked, looking you over. Alucard was more than painfully aware of how little time you had left. A part of him screamed to turn you, to forever keep you by his side, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that. That would mean stripping you of your humanity. He would never see you smile on a sunny day again; he would be forced to feed you the blood of your people instead of your favorite meals. He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t rob you of the warmth of summer days. So he opted for watching you age and giving you the best last years he could.

“I don’t know. Funny how often I fall lately. I’m starting to fear I won’t live to see another day.” You laughed humorlessly and looked up at him. “Don’t look so sad, love. We both know that day will come eventually. In the meantime, do you mind helping me up?”

Alucard carefully grabbed you by the arms and sat you up. “Are you sure you can stand?”

“Yes, I feel a bit better now, thank you.” You got up slowly, leaning on Alucard’s shoulder. “I think I’m going to go lay down for a bit. I bet a little nap will fix me up right away.”

He frowned slightly; hadn’t you just woken up from a nap not that long ago? A strange, heavy feeling squeezed his chest. The same feeling that haunted him each time something bad was about to happen. He didn’t like it one bit.

“Do you need any help going to your room?”

“Oh, please. I know I’m old, but I can walk on my own. I’ll be just fine.”

Alucard sighed. “Still, I don’t feel comfortable letting you go alone right after you collapsed.”  
You shook your head and smiled fondly. “You really need to stop worrying about me so much. I’m fine, really. It was just a moment of pain, I’m sure it wasn’t anything serious.” Still, you took him by the hand and led him out of the kitchen.

***

Your room was big. So big, that you would complain about it sometimes. There was too much space, what were you supposed to do with it? You spent very little time there anyway.

Right the opposite of the door stood your bed. And even now, you would insist on changing the covers yourself despite losing strength — though that meant Alucard would be here, watching your every move just in case something happened.

Alucard walked you right to the edge of the bed and held your hand as you were sitting down. He sat beside you and watched as you tucked yourself in with that fond look in his eyes. It used to fluster you when you were younger, but now it just made you feel safe. It was nice knowing he still loved you, despite your body being old and withered. It made your chest warm every time you thought about it.

You furrowed your eyebrows when you noticed he wasn’t getting up. Or leaving. “What’s the matter? Aren’t you going to eat?”

Alucard shook his head and reached for the book that laid on your nightstand. “I’ll stay here for now.”

“You can’t just not eat, love. You may be a dhampir, but it’s still unhealthy.” You insisted. “How about that — I’ll take a quick nap and you’ll go make dinner. Then you can come back here, and we’ll eat together, alright?”

“You really are stubborn, aren’t you? You won’t stop until I’ve eaten, right?”

“You know me so well.” You patted him on the hand. “Now shoo, you ought to eat.”

***

Alucard was walking through the corridor with two steaming plates in his hands. He couldn’t help but notice that heavy feeling in his chest growing stronger. He was just worried because you’d collapsed earlier. That was normal, who wouldn’t be? Even though, he couldn’t help but walk faster.

“Dinner’s ready.” He said as he pushed open the door to your bedroom. “As I’ve said, I found the ingredients for your favorite, so…” He paused when he heard silence. No words but his, no movement… no breathing.

He dropped the plates as he rushed to your bed. He fell to his knees beside it and grabbed your hand. He pressed his fingers to your wrist. No pulse. He frantically leaned over you and checked your neck. Still, no pulse. That’s when panic finally set in. He pushed the covers out of the way and started to rhythmically press on your chest, just like his mother taught him to so many years ago. No matter that you were already starting to get cold and stiff. No matter that he just couldn’t get any reaction from you. No matter that some part of him already realized that you were gone. Forever.  
After what felt like nearly an hour, he finally stopped. His arms felt like they were on fire, but his chest hurt so much more. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. So what if the logical part of him knew this was a long time coming? It didn’t make the pain any lesser. Alucard collapsed on top of your body and let out a loud, heart-wrenching sob. Tears fell from his eyes freely as he held onto your cold hand. Gone, gone, gone. Just like everyone else. He should’ve turned you when he still had the chance. He should’ve, but he didn’t. And now his worst nightmare became reality.

***

Alucard buried your body the next day, but he didn’t feel anything anymore. It was like the him from after the battle with his father was back again – and stronger than ever. As Alucard rhythmically moved his shovel, he tried to make himself feel something, anything, but his mind was empty. He knew that void — it was just the silence before the storm. He just had to wait until everything settled, and then his new reality would hit him. He was sure he would break apart, but that moment wasn’t now. Now he was burying the love of his life.

After he made sure your body was completely covered, he came back to the castle. He would have to make a tombstone for you tomorrow. But that was for tomorrow. He slowly walked to your room. Now was his last chance to fully take in the last pieces of your presence before it fully withered away and disappeared along with you. Alucard locked the door when he came in. He laughed a bitter laugh; as if there was anyone left to come in and disturb his mourning. He sat down in your chair and took in the entire room. Your closet, your desk, your bookshelf, your bed; everything was still the way you left it. He didn’t think he would ever find the strength in himself to clean everything up. If he didn’t, he could still pretend you would come back. He desperately wanted to believe that.

Then his eyes fell on the portrait he made you.

You were still young when he painted it. He would cringe while looking at it sometimes, insisting he could repaint it. He had got better with age after all. But you had denied every offer he made. You had loved that painting for some reason and hadn’t wanted to replace it no matter what he had said. And now, you were looking at him from that canvas with such warmth in your eyes.

That’s when he broke down for the second time.

He doubled over and clawed at his shirt. Everything was too much, he couldn’t go on anymore. He was alone. Everyone left him, even you. He felt like his heart had just been ripped out of his chest and stomped into the ground. So he cried harder than ever in his life. His sobs and heaved breaths were the only sound in the room; they echoed in the corridors of the castle.

It took a long time for Alucard to finally calm down enough to see properly. Occasional sobs still shook his body, but he didn’t have the strength to cry anymore. He stood up and walked over to your bed. He collapsed and grasped at your pillow. Your scent was the strongest here; he buried his nose in your blankets and hiccupped silently. As he calmed down, he felt a strange warmth, as if someone was hugging him tightly. A nice thought appeared — that you still were there somewhere, looking over him. He could only hope to join you someday, just like he hoped his father had joined his mother after death.

“I love you” he whispered, and he could’ve sworn that he heard a faint voice reply. He closed his eyes and let a few more tears roll down his face.

He slept a dreamless, restless sleep.


End file.
